Property of a Lady(29)

‘Not especially.’

‘I’ve talked to the on-duty psychiatrist – just in general terms. But we can book an appointment for Beth to see her properly if you wish.’

Nell had no idea if this would be a good thing or not. She said, carefully, that she would think about it.

‘My advice – also that of the psychiatrist – is that it would be better to let this episode fade gradually and naturally,’ he said.

‘I think so, too.’

‘If it happened again, that might be different, of course. But the mind heals itself in odd ways. We can do deeper tests later – for epilepsy, for disorders of the brain . . .’ Nell flinched, and he put out a reassuring hand to her shoulder. ‘There are no indications at all of anything wrong there,’ he said. ‘But I suggest we make an outpatient appointment for her – two weeks ahead, let’s say – and if we think it necessary then, we can arrange some scans. But I don’t think it will be,’ he said quickly.

Nell stayed with Beth until visiting hours ended, then hugged her goodnight, promising to be back early in the morning when they would go home. Beth was apparently content with this. She was a self-contained, self-sufficient child. As far as Nell could tell, the experience had bewildered her, but not unduly. She was interested in being in hospital, she had eaten the scrambled eggs and trifle, and she would have an adventure to tell when she went back to school. Above all, she seemed definite that the man she called the nightmare man had got her mixed up with someone else.

‘I’m sure he did,’ said Nell. ‘Go to sleep now, and when you wake up it’ll be tomorrow, and I’ll be here to take you home.’





TEN




As Nell went through the hospital’s small reception area, Michael Flint came in. It looked as if he had been waiting for her, because he came up at once and said, ‘She’s all right?’

‘Quite all right,’ said Nell. ‘And I’m so pleased to see you. I haven’t had a chance yet to thank you. Inspector Brent said you were the one who found her.’

‘Well, I did, but it was just luck, really.’

Nell said, ‘I don’t care what it was. I’m so grateful I don’t think I can put it into words. And if I do I might start crying.’

‘You’re entitled to cry for hours, I should think. But Brent’s men would have found her before much longer, you know.’

‘Yes, but— I don’t know all the details yet, but I do know you drove all the way here to help the police artist, and you found out about the church, and you went out there—’ This time her voice did wobble, and she broke off, because she would not cry again, certainly not in front of someone she hardly knew.

Michael appeared not to notice the wobble. He said, ‘Has she been able to talk about any of it? To tell you what happened?’

‘She doesn’t seem to remember anything,’ said Nell, grateful to switch to practicalities. ‘I don’t know whether to be relieved by that or terrified. She’s seeing it as a kind of extension of the nightmares.’

‘What do the doctors say?’

‘I don’t think they really know. They’ve talked about some sort of temporary amnesia— What have I said?’

‘Nothing. Go on. Temporary amnesia?’

‘Perhaps connected to her father’s death, they said. The inspector’s still following up the theory that it was a genuine abduction, of course, but I think he’s a bit unsure. He’s going to get the church checked by his forensic people tomorrow – the inside of the church, I mean.’

‘To see if she had been in there all night?’

‘Yes.’

Michael said, ‘When I found her – she looked almost as if she had been laid down quite carefully. She looked perfectly comfortable. I honestly don’t think she could have been out there in the churchyard all night.’

‘I think that’s a comfort,’ said Nell. ‘Although I’d rather know where she was all those hours.’

‘Yes.’ They were outside the hospital by now. ‘Is your car here?’ said Michael.

‘No, Inspector Brent said to ring when I was going back and he’d arrange a lift.’

‘I can drive you home,’ he said.

‘Don’t you have to get back to Oxford?’

‘Not tonight. I’d booked at the Black Boar again. I didn’t know how long this might all take.’ He looked round the car park. ‘I’d probably be quicker than calling the inspector,’ he said.

‘Yes, you probably would. Thanks very much,’ said Nell gratefully.

As they pulled up outside the shop front, Michael said, ‘I’m sure you’re exhausted and you just want to go home and go to bed. But in case you haven’t eaten, the Black Boar do a reasonable bar meal.’

He said this diffidently, as if he was not at all sure it was the right thing to say, and certainly as if he was not sure of her reply.

Nell started to say she would go straight in, then realized two things. One was that she still did not know what had sent him out to the old churchyard and it was important to find out as much about that as possible. She could let Inspector Brent and the hospital know where she would be for the next hour or so, and in any case, she would have her phone to hand.